My train trip through Japan part 5/? [October 2019]
Hey, remember my holiday to Japan last October and how I never finished my picspams? I plan to finally post the travelreports of the second half of that awesome trip in the next few days (weeks?)
day 6: A day in Nara
[Friday, October 11]
So the day before, I had arrived in Kyoto and had spend the afternoon checking out the local temples. Today I had a whole day here before traveling on, and on the advice of brotherdearest, I decided on a bonus train trip and travel to nearby town Nara, which is famous for its roaming deer in and around Nara Park, site of the Tōdai-ji temple (798 AD) and the Daibutsu, the largest bronze Buddha in the world!
Here's a picspam of that day, which begins and ends in the hotel. Also: there's a Typhoon heading for Japan.
Tried a couple of Japanese foods for breakfast, next to my trusted yoghurt with cornflakes and pastry are eggs, noodles and chicken.
Back in my hotelroom I tried to figure out what the options on my toilet were. Thanks to the Google Translate app on my phone that can read Japanese with the camera, I learned that switch could either give a "big" or a "small" flush;)
Took the subway to the station and just missed the Rapid train to Nara, so I got on a Local slow train since I like sitting in trains anyway:) The rapid train would take about 45 minutes, I have no idea how long this train will take. After about 40 minutes (and a lot of stops) the conductor came by to tell all the obvious tourists that we should change trains in Uji to catch the next Rapid train for the last bit to Nara. So thoughtful:) It's only about another 20 minutes to get there.
Deers are promoted all over the station; and in town even the manhole covers feature a deer!
It's a 20-30 minute walk from the station to Nara park, but you'll already encounter some deer on the way. You can buy food for them, which comes with instructions on how to let them know that you're out of food. Which came in handy when this deer was eyeing my macha green tea and vanilla icecream;)
If you pay attention to your surroundings in the Tōdai-ji temple complex, you'll also notice other animals (such as dragons:)
The Daibutsu-den is the largest wooden building in the world, it's 48.74 meters high. This is the only area of the park where deer are not allowed.
Curious statues and a fancy lantern in front of the temple hall.
The Daibutse Buddha is so big, it's near impossible to catch in one photo. The hand gesture means 'fear not'. I especially loved the 16 little golden Buddhas behind the Buddha's head. Fun fact: these are are graduated in size to appear the same size from below!
Love the funky butterflies on this vase:)
Zochoten (Sk. Virudhaka) head from the Edo period (18th century)
To the right of the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is Nyoririn Kannon.
The Daibutsu is 14.98m high; its nostril is 50cm wide (to give you an idea of its massive size;)
After a last walk around the Buddha I go outside again to explore the rest of the park.
It's a large area and there are signs all over, but despite working with maps, I'm notoriously bad at reading them, so I take my time wandering around, ahem. Oh well, I get to see lots more this way:)
I'm climbing the steps to Nigatsu-do to admire the magnificent view. <3
An excellent dragon temizuya (font) at Sangatsu-do.
While posting my cards I suddenly heard an ominous sniffing behind me...
... when I turn around I discover this dude breathing down my neck, haha.
I cross the red bridge to a path with lots of shrines to get to my last temple in Nara.
Oh hello, deer.
OH. HELLO! Heehee, that explains the loud moaning mating calls all through the woods. Fortunately I don't meet any horny deer :'-D
My final stop in Nara park is the Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha, which dates to 768 AD and has more than 3,000 lanterns.
So. Many. Lanterns.
Also: butts!
As it gets darker, some lanterns are lit. I really love the scenery but did get a little lost in the woods. Right before actual panic set in, I found my way back to the main road into town, pfew.
This amazing colourful sunset was caused by the Typhoon that hit Japan near Tokyo. I am far enough out of its way, but as I take the train back to Kyoto I notice precautions are being made at the stations...
At arrival back at Kyoto, I see a notice that with the Typhoon getting closer, all trains on Saturday (tomorrow) will be suspended.
This means I won't be able to continue my journey to Hiroshima tomorrow and then onwards to the mountains and Osaka. As I take the subway back to the hotel, I figure I will have to make arrangements to spend another night in Kyoto...
But first: food!
I once more go to that cool tiny Yayoiken restaurant I discovered the day before; where you can pick a menu from a machine, pay, get a ticket to hand to the waiter and find a seat while you wait for your food.
My choice this evening: Miso soup with tofu, white rice with groats and white cabage(?) with pork marinated in garlic, NOM.
Back at the hotel I find a treat with my tea with a sweet note about the delicacy. (I put this and the tea in my backpack as a souvenir like the snack hoarder I am;)
Then I need to deal with the rest of my trip and as I'm mentaly preparing to book an extra night in the hotel and work out the rest of my train journey, I get a phonecall from the Treinreiswinkel (Traintravelshop) agent, who tells me they already made sure I can stay in the hotel. As I'm not used to an agency handling my travels, I was not aware they would take care of me! So I was pleasantly surprised to hear they would also help me adjust the rest of my trip. They had already thought of a new itinerary after spending an extra day in Kyoto. They suggest skipping Hiroshima and then continueing my trip as originally scheduled, but when I let them know I'd rather skip the planned day at the mountain monastery if I could still visit Hiroshima instead, they kindly checked if that was possible and then rebooked me a hotel there for Sunday!
Quite proud of myself for being assertive enough to ask if my idea would work and very relieved that whatever happens next with the weather, I won't have to deal with it by myself, I enjoy my evening bath and book with a bottle of hot lemon juice and fishy crisps:)
Tomorrow I can sleep in because I won't have to travel, yay, another day in Kyoto!
Good night.
To be continued:)
J.
Part 1: Traveling to Japan | Part 2: Temples in Tokyo | Part 3: Nikko | Part 4: From Tokyo to Kyoto |
Crossposted from https://beelikej.dreamwidth.org/555264.html [
comments] Lurk or comment wherever you like:)
day 6: A day in Nara
[Friday, October 11]
So the day before, I had arrived in Kyoto and had spend the afternoon checking out the local temples. Today I had a whole day here before traveling on, and on the advice of brotherdearest, I decided on a bonus train trip and travel to nearby town Nara, which is famous for its roaming deer in and around Nara Park, site of the Tōdai-ji temple (798 AD) and the Daibutsu, the largest bronze Buddha in the world!
Here's a picspam of that day, which begins and ends in the hotel. Also: there's a Typhoon heading for Japan.
Tried a couple of Japanese foods for breakfast, next to my trusted yoghurt with cornflakes and pastry are eggs, noodles and chicken.
Back in my hotelroom I tried to figure out what the options on my toilet were. Thanks to the Google Translate app on my phone that can read Japanese with the camera, I learned that switch could either give a "big" or a "small" flush;)
Took the subway to the station and just missed the Rapid train to Nara, so I got on a Local slow train since I like sitting in trains anyway:) The rapid train would take about 45 minutes, I have no idea how long this train will take. After about 40 minutes (and a lot of stops) the conductor came by to tell all the obvious tourists that we should change trains in Uji to catch the next Rapid train for the last bit to Nara. So thoughtful:) It's only about another 20 minutes to get there.
Deers are promoted all over the station; and in town even the manhole covers feature a deer!
It's a 20-30 minute walk from the station to Nara park, but you'll already encounter some deer on the way. You can buy food for them, which comes with instructions on how to let them know that you're out of food. Which came in handy when this deer was eyeing my macha green tea and vanilla icecream;)
If you pay attention to your surroundings in the Tōdai-ji temple complex, you'll also notice other animals (such as dragons:)
The Daibutsu-den is the largest wooden building in the world, it's 48.74 meters high. This is the only area of the park where deer are not allowed.
Curious statues and a fancy lantern in front of the temple hall.
The Daibutse Buddha is so big, it's near impossible to catch in one photo. The hand gesture means 'fear not'. I especially loved the 16 little golden Buddhas behind the Buddha's head. Fun fact: these are are graduated in size to appear the same size from below!
Love the funky butterflies on this vase:)
Zochoten (Sk. Virudhaka) head from the Edo period (18th century)
To the right of the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is Nyoririn Kannon.
The Daibutsu is 14.98m high; its nostril is 50cm wide (to give you an idea of its massive size;)
After a last walk around the Buddha I go outside again to explore the rest of the park.
It's a large area and there are signs all over, but despite working with maps, I'm notoriously bad at reading them, so I take my time wandering around, ahem. Oh well, I get to see lots more this way:)
I'm climbing the steps to Nigatsu-do to admire the magnificent view. <3
An excellent dragon temizuya (font) at Sangatsu-do.
While posting my cards I suddenly heard an ominous sniffing behind me...
... when I turn around I discover this dude breathing down my neck, haha.
I cross the red bridge to a path with lots of shrines to get to my last temple in Nara.
Oh hello, deer.
OH. HELLO! Heehee, that explains the loud moaning mating calls all through the woods. Fortunately I don't meet any horny deer :'-D
My final stop in Nara park is the Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha, which dates to 768 AD and has more than 3,000 lanterns.
So. Many. Lanterns.
Also: butts!
As it gets darker, some lanterns are lit. I really love the scenery but did get a little lost in the woods. Right before actual panic set in, I found my way back to the main road into town, pfew.
This amazing colourful sunset was caused by the Typhoon that hit Japan near Tokyo. I am far enough out of its way, but as I take the train back to Kyoto I notice precautions are being made at the stations...
At arrival back at Kyoto, I see a notice that with the Typhoon getting closer, all trains on Saturday (tomorrow) will be suspended.
This means I won't be able to continue my journey to Hiroshima tomorrow and then onwards to the mountains and Osaka. As I take the subway back to the hotel, I figure I will have to make arrangements to spend another night in Kyoto...
But first: food!
I once more go to that cool tiny Yayoiken restaurant I discovered the day before; where you can pick a menu from a machine, pay, get a ticket to hand to the waiter and find a seat while you wait for your food.
My choice this evening: Miso soup with tofu, white rice with groats and white cabage(?) with pork marinated in garlic, NOM.
Back at the hotel I find a treat with my tea with a sweet note about the delicacy. (I put this and the tea in my backpack as a souvenir like the snack hoarder I am;)
Then I need to deal with the rest of my trip and as I'm mentaly preparing to book an extra night in the hotel and work out the rest of my train journey, I get a phonecall from the Treinreiswinkel (Traintravelshop) agent, who tells me they already made sure I can stay in the hotel. As I'm not used to an agency handling my travels, I was not aware they would take care of me! So I was pleasantly surprised to hear they would also help me adjust the rest of my trip. They had already thought of a new itinerary after spending an extra day in Kyoto. They suggest skipping Hiroshima and then continueing my trip as originally scheduled, but when I let them know I'd rather skip the planned day at the mountain monastery if I could still visit Hiroshima instead, they kindly checked if that was possible and then rebooked me a hotel there for Sunday!
Quite proud of myself for being assertive enough to ask if my idea would work and very relieved that whatever happens next with the weather, I won't have to deal with it by myself, I enjoy my evening bath and book with a bottle of hot lemon juice and fishy crisps:)
Tomorrow I can sleep in because I won't have to travel, yay, another day in Kyoto!
Good night.
To be continued:)
J.
Part 1: Traveling to Japan | Part 2: Temples in Tokyo | Part 3: Nikko | Part 4: From Tokyo to Kyoto |
Crossposted from https://beelikej.dreamwidth.org/555264.html [
comments] Lurk or comment wherever you like:)